Razorbacks spring football report

JUCO receivers catch on right away

Arkansas receiver Brandon Martin makes a catch Tuesday, March 28, 2017, during spring practice at the UA practice facility in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- After Jared Cornelius, experience for the Arkansas Razorbacks wide receivers drops off off drastically to young wideouts such as Deon Stewart, La'Michael Pettway, Jordan Jones and T.J. Hammonds.

But the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville did add a couple of key veterans in Brandon Martin, the top junior college receiver in the country, and Jonathan Nance, Martin's teammate at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

ADVERTISEMENT

More headlines

They are expected to help immediately.

"I was excited for them when they first came in in January and just day one, seeing how smooth they are out there and how good a football sense they have is pretty awesome to see," quarterback Austin Allen said. "Everyone's excited for them. They can make some plays for us.

"Brandon, we were just throwing one-on-ones, and you throw up a 50-50 ball and he's coming down with it. Jonathan, how smooth he is, finding holes, he kind of reminds me of Jared a little bit just how smart he is. He's smooth and catches the ball really fluid."

Winning a job

Senior Kevin Richardson -- who is returning after missing the final 12 games last season with a torn pectoral muscle he suffered in Arkansas' 21-20 victory over Louisiana Tech -- played cornerback, nickel back and safety in his previous seasons.

The Razorbacks want him to win a starting job of his own this season.

"K-Rich is literally a very unique soul that I think could play all four positions and play very well for us," Coach Bret Bielema said. "I wanted to give him a chance to own a position. I wanted to give him a chance to earn a starting spot, and I think for the most part right now we're going to have that be at the corner position. But in a heartbeat he could be our backup free safety or strong safety and our nickel."

Junior Ryan Pulley and senior Henre Toliver both have starting experience at cornerback, although Toliver had returned to the nickel position after Richardson's injury last year.

"I love having K-Rich back there," senior safety Josh Liddell said. "He's a leader. He knows what's going on. He's always communicating and keeping guys up. It's good to have him back."

End all

Bret Bielema said the transition to a 3-4 defense made him feel more comfortable about the number of defensive ends the Razorbacks will have in 2017.

"It helped us," he said. "If I was in a 4-3, I'd be very concerned."

Of the 13 players listed as defensive linemen on the roster, junior Randy Ramsey is the only one with the DE designation for defensive end. The others are listed with a DL.

Asked about the ends, Bielema said sophomore McTelvin Agim is looking good, as is redshirt freshmen Briston Guidry and Jonathan Marshall, who will work at end and nose guard.

Bielema said Guidry, a 6-3, 294-pounder from Metairie, La., got leaner during his redshirt year.

"I'm very, very excited about that kid," he said. "He's success driven."

Bielema said players such as T.J. Smith and Daytrieon Dean will get looks as defensive ends.

"We're going to try to keep it simple for them and let them have a simple menu that they can pull from and have a lot of fun with it," Bielema said.

Just lids

The Razorbacks have to practice in helmets and shorts during their first two practices before upgrading to full pads Saturday. The dress code is by NCAA rule.

Arkansas must also practice in half-pack -- lighter shoulder pads and modified padding -- at least two practices during the spring. The rules are in place to limit the amount of live hitting and full-scale tackling.

Top frosh

Coach Bret Bielema said Shane Clenin, a 6-6, 295-pounder from Festus, Mo., has a chance to be special as a versatile lineman among a freshman group that also features Kirby Adcock of Nashville and Dalton Wagner of Spring Grove, Ill.

"Shane Clenin is very talented," Bielema said. "Kirby and Wagner are as well, but I think Shane ... is more like some of the guys I've had in the past that literally can play multiple [spots]. Shane can probably play tackle, guard or center.

"He's going to play somewhere for us. The other guys are going to play as well. I could see all three, to be quite honest, playing as freshmen. All three are very athletic, very talented and very hungry."

New spots

Randy Ramsey and Michael Taylor, who were listed as defensive ends last season, will work in the outside "Hog" linebacker position in the new base 3-4 alignment. Karl Roesler, a defensive end and linebacker last season, will work both spots, but he's listed as a defensive lineman.

T.J. Hammonds, a 5-10, 197-pounder, who rushed for 88 yards and a touchdown as the fourth-team running back last season, will get a look as a slot receiver in the spring with the idea he could play both positions.

Fullback Hayden Johnson, a 6-3, 248-pound sophomore from Columbia, Mo., will cross train as a tight end during the spring, with junior Kendrick Jackson solidified as the lead fullback, backed by redshirt freshman Justice Hobbs.

Jake Hall, a 6-5, 266-pound junior from Springdale Har-Ber, has moved back to the defensive line, the position at which he signed with the Hogs before switching to tight end and the offensive line.

Damani Carter, a 6-0, 241-pound sophomore from Fayetteville, is now listed at linebacker after moving from fullback.

New numbers

Quarterback Ty Storey, a redshirt sophomore from Charleston, now will wear No. 4. His old No. 5 will be worn by junior college receiver Brandon Martin.

The other jersey changes are No. 13 Nate Dalton (was 15), No. 14 Britto Tutt (11), No. 18 Blake Johnson (8), No. 19 River Warnock (14), No. 24 Juan Day (39), No. 34 Tyler Phillips (53), No. 81 Will Gragg (11), No. 90 Armon Watts (86), No. 95 Jake Hall (64) and No. 99 Elias Hale (91).

Jersey numbers for early enrollees in addition to Martin are No. 7 Jonathan Nance, No. 11 Daulton Hyatt, No. 15 Korey Hernandez, No. 23 Maleek Williams, No. 40 Kyrei Fisher, No. 57 Shane Clenin, No. 68 Kirby Adcock and No. 78 Dalton Wagner.

New board

The Twitter account @ArkRazorbacks posted Tuesday an artist's rendering of what the video board will look like in the south end zone at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The new video board will be in place for the 2017 season with construction ongoing on the north end zone project, which will enclose the stadium and link the East and West stands for the first time.

The $160 million north end zone plan, projected to be ready for the 2018 season, will construct a new Broyles Athletic Center and increase capacity by about 4,800 seats, mostly in suites and club-level seating, bringing total capacity to nearly 77,000.

Visitors

Farmington High School Coach Mike Adams attended the opening practice. Adams is a regular visitor during spring drills.

Akron running backs coach Eric Hickson, a 1998 graduate of Kansas State and the school's leading rusher, was also a visitor. Arkansas receivers coach Michael Smith, also a Kansas State graduate, was running backs coach at Kansas State during Hickson's final two seasons with the Wildcats.

Returning Hog

Former Arkansas linebacker Alonzo Highsmith is back as a student assistant, helping out with the defense.

Sports on 03/29/2017